Go to any school playground at recess time or any public park during the summer months and you’re sure to find plenty of children playing there together. Do you know how to recognize, avoid and treat some common infections? Infections are no fun, and can land you in the hospital if not properly cared for. Know what to look for, and what to do should these infections be near you or your child.
Ringworm is a common infection that can affect any child. Ringworm appears on the skin as a scaly red patch that is circular. It can appear on any part of the body but is usually marked by the near perfect shape of the outer circle. Ringworm is contagious for the first 48 hours so avoid coming in direct contact with the affected and personal belongings during that time.
Hand foot and mouth disease is as displeasing as it sounds. Children infected are plagued by ulcers of the mouth, which are the contagious factor for the first week, along with blisters on the hands and feet and a rash on the child’s buttocks. This infection, ironically enough, has no medical prescription treatment available and must be allowed to go away on its own.
Pink eye is recognizable by its name. Children who have pink eye have marked pink condition around one or both eyes. Usually pink eye is contracted in only one eye, making it even more noticeable. Pink eye can occur in quite a few ways and all of the ways are contagious except if pink eye results from an injury or allergy. Pink eye can be contagious for the first 48 hours.
As a child you may have had chicken pox. If so, you know that this infection is characterized by a highly visible rash that has blisters and causes the infected child to scratch because it itches. Chicken pox is very highly contagious and can be contracted from the infected child not only by contact but through the air around the infected child as well because the chicken pox virus can be airborne.
You may or may not have heard of cryptosporidium, crypto for short. Crypto can sometimes be ignored as a side effect from a stomach virus but is actually something different. Symptoms of crypto include vomiting and diarrhea. One of the main ways to contract crypto is by swallowing contaminated water in a public pool. Crypto can be particularly hazardous to children who may be receiving chemotherapy or have HIV. What is not common knowledge is that there is treatment available from your pediatrician for crypto.
